


No-one Listens To Logan Sanders

by EmotionalDorito



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: (lots of crying), ...or is it?, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Crying, Hurt/Comfort, Logan Sanders needs a hug, Logic | Logan Sanders is a Dark Side, M/M, Slow Burn, Sympathetic Deceit, Unrequited Love, but supportive Deceit is cool and makes the whole thing a tad fluffier
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-18
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2020-10-21 08:49:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20690771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmotionalDorito/pseuds/EmotionalDorito
Summary: In which Logan Sanders is tired of not being heard. Of not being listened to and appreciated. When a mysterious offer arises that will change everything he's ever known, will he accept? What could go wrong when you dance with the devil?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW- Crying, Near Panic Attack, Minor Blood Mentions, Negative Emotions

Logan wrapped his arms around his knees tightly, leaning against the door to his room, his entire body shaking with the effort of not sobbing out loud and alerting the other sides of his current disposition. His eyes were bleary, and all his focus was dedicated to thinking of quite literally anything but what led him to this state but as with the white bear experiment his attempts were eventually fruitless, or in other words a complete and utter failure. Perhaps it was better just to wallow in this state for a little while, let the bad feelings float away, although from the strong, unrelenting gripping he felt around his throat no matter how much he loosened his tie and the pounding of his heart he found difficulty believing he could ever feel anything less than this. 

It had happened again. They didn’t listen to him, much less care about what he said. He was always tossed away because this was a ‘matter of the heart’, but why didn’t they understand he was here to help? It is his role to help Thomas however he can, but they wouldn’t let him. Instead he was forced to see him get hurt again and again over things that were so easily avoidable if they just let him get a single sentence across. He may not always understand everyone else and why they do the things they insist upon, like letting Thomas fall in love only to get his heart broken or letting him go to those auditions for professional make believe just to get rejected. Unlike them however, Logan tried to understand the others, and respected that it was important for them. They never did that for him, never bothered to ask him why, resulting in only one Logical conclusion; the others didn’t care about Logan. It was nothing he didn’t already known, they demonstrated it often enough, on the countless occasions the other sides ignored him or his ideas for no reason other than that it was him speaking them. A perfectly good example was a few weeks before.

Virgil’s anxiety was worse than usual, and the problem was clear to Logan as he glanced down at the near empty coffee jug on the kitchen counter. As this was negatively affecting Thomas, Logan decided to talk to Virgil about it, who happened to be sprawled across the sofa scrolling through his phone, a coffee cup in his hand.

‘You’ve been drinking an alarming amount of coffee lately and I believe it has been negatively affecting you, have you considered cutting back your caffeine intake?’

Virgil stared at him coldly through his greasy unwashed hair ‘Have you considered minding your own business book germ?’ He took a big gulp from his mug while maintaining direct eye contact with Logan the entire time to emphasize his point. Logan backed off for the time being, deciding to bring it up on another occasion.

Not even ten minutes later Logan was in the kitchen smearing a piece of toast with Crofters when he heard Patton’s light footsteps entering the Living room. Even though they were all identical, Patton always seemed lighter on his feet. Logan believed it might have something to do with the permanent bounce he had in his steps. 

‘Hey kiddo, I’m worried all this coffee is making you more anxious, what if you stopped for today?’

In a much softer tone than Virgil had had when Logan approached the topic, Virgil answered ‘I think you have a point Pat, I’ll do my best.’

Logan was absolutely flabbergasted. When he said the exact same thing, Virgil refused to hear him out. This had happened before but never within the span of ten minutes. The final straw however had happened only earlier that morning.

The sides were congregated in their usual meeting place to discuss an issue Thomas had been having. Due to his lack of maintaining any kind of planner or dairy (despite Logan’s pleads) he had promised to help his friend Joan on the same day as his dentist’s appointment. It was too late to cancel his dentist’s appointment and with no other available times for at least a month, it was vital Thomas went before his dull ache turned into something much more dire, however he swore to Joan that he would be at a book signing by their favourite author at the same time due to Joan being unable to make it. Very quickly the conversation descended into chaos as the Sides screamed at each other about how terrible missing either event would be without offering any suggestions over than ‘Time travel’ at which Logan scoffed quite audibly. 

‘Oh well Mircosoft Nerd, how do you propose we solve this?’ Roman sneered, sounding offended his idea got shut down so quickly. 

‘I actually happen to have a solution to the issue, which is that-‘ He got cut off by Patton who failed to notice Logan had even spoken.

‘Don’t worry kiddos, I’m sure one of us can figure it out’

Clearing his throat to make sure he was heard, Logan tried again ‘I actually have an answer’ He paused to make sure he had everyone’s attention then continued ‘We could enlist one of our friends, Talyn for example, who we already know will be attending, and ask them to get Joan’s book signed’

‘Won’t Talyn hate us for that though?’ Came the inevitable response from Anxiety. The prince followed suit.

‘Virgil has a point; it would be very unheroic of us to dump our task on Talyn who just wants to go see an author carefree’ Patton nodded in agreement to the prince's statements.

Logan tried to reiterate ‘Don’t you see, this would work because-‘  
He got cut off yet again, this time by Virgil. ‘What if we get someone close to Joan like Talyn to go, I’m sure I remember hearing they were going too.’

Patton grinned at this ‘That’s a brilliant idea Virgil, it’ll even give them something to talk about later’ 

Did they not even hear him when he suggested the exact same thing a second ago. To make matters worse Roman then turned his head to the Logical side ‘See Logan? It wasn’t that hard. Maybe next time instead of taken down my idea you actually contribute something next time. Unless your big brain can’t handle it.’

What? He didn’t contribute anything? Did they really care so little about him they forgot his words as soon as they were spoken unless they could be used back against Logan to spite him?

He sank down to his room as soon as he could leaving him where he was now, crying into his tie. Surprised at how long it took him to realise how little they cared, he chuckled slightly about it, feelings the salty tears that rolled all the way down his face against his tongue. All the signs had been there, stacking up over the years. What was the point of being there if he couldn’t help, if he was always excluded or an afterthought? They were only friendly to him as means of appeasement, just enough to stop him from irritating them even more than he already did. The manuscript from Roman, them playing along when he wanted to be Sherlock, it was enough to keep him satisfied and stop him from questioning their ‘friendship’. The few times their compliments seemed genuine, for example Thomas calling him ‘A cool guy’, the others forgot the benefits of listening to him instantaneously. 

If they didn’t have to, would they even keep him around? Shouldn’t he be the figurative bigger man and just duck out? The second he thought those words he could hear a QUACK in his mind, the fond memories of Patton’s puns that once caused him joy now making him all the more miserable. Would Patton be disappointed in him if he disappeared? Would he be glad he no longer needed to deal with him? What was the point of staying if they never listened to him? Would they even notice he was gone? The ball in the pit of his stomach grew bigger as dread filled Logan. His breathing became rushed and he had to bite his tongue as the urge to cry out became stronger. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth. He guided himself through breathing exercises as best he could, rocking back and forth in attempts of warding off a panic attack.

It was twenty minutes before Logan could look up, his breathing steady again, he saw a note that was not there before, laying on the floor in front of him. It was a thick black cardstock, the front of it embossed in a depiction of two snakes wrapped around each other. Wary, he picked it up, reading the defined cursive writing on the flip side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, this sure was a depressing Chapter, I swear it'll get interesting soon though,,,,stay tuned ;)  
Feel free to say hi on my Tumblr @dreamydorito  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan prepares to dance with the Devil. The Devil likes Calligraphy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW- Remus, Blade, Minor Strangling Mentions (lemme know if I missed anything)

Deceit Sanders loved many things, he loved snakes, teasing his fellow sides and as he thought back to his note, he considered his love of Calligraphy. 

After no less than seventeen drafts that could now be found on crumpled jotter paper strewn across the room, he finally felt confident that he was the perfect blend of vague and convincing. Picking out his finest black cardstock he prepared himself mentally as the art of calligraphy was a precise one that needs both a steady hand and a steady mind. Peaking his head out the door to ensure Remus wasn’t going to disturb him, as he had ruined many a letter with what Deceit called his ‘Little Distractions’ (although they were usually far more aggressive than the name let on, varying from popping in out of nowhere with an inane question, to sneaking in and wrapping his hands around the deceitful sides neck just to see how he would react). Glad to see him at work carefully cutting apart a teddy bear with a scalpel, he settled at his writing desk, content he wasn’t going to be disturbed. Once done stretching his hands, he began the painstakingly slow process of writing out the note. 

_‘Dear Mr Logan Sanders,_  
It has come to my attention that you currently appear to find yourself in quite the predicament...  
I believe I have a proposition that could solve your problems, meet me at 2400 hours in the kitchen, or don’t if being ignored doesn’t bother you as much as I believe it does.  
Yours Truest, Deceit Sanders.’ 

Although it was slow it calmed him. For just a couple of minutes, all that mattered was him and the pen, them against the world. Of course, this couldn't last, as he signed his name the note became a source of anxiety for him. His anxiety was then doubled because he was worried about alerting a certain purple side. It continued as he made his way to Logan’s room using the many four-dimensional entrances found in the sub reality that was the mindscape. Although he knew Logan was definitely not in the best condition, it hurt him to see Logan in such a state. So vulnerable and hurt. He'd make the others pay for doing this to him one day. It was killing Deceit not to give him an encouraging pat on the back or a word of comfort, but he couldn’t afford to ruin The Plan... Logan would understand...eventually. Praying to any and all deities that Logan didn’t look up he placed the note in front of him as gently as he could before returning to his room. 

That anxiety stayed with him all week, up until the present, where he sat on the kitchen counter, watching the aluminium hands of the wall clock approaching 12. His heart was beating double-time to its ticks and tocks, unsure of what he was more scared of, Logan not showing up, or having to talk to him if he did show up. Deceit loved one more thing, Logan Sanders.

Just up the stairs, the aforementioned Logan Sanders prepared himself for a metaphorical dance with the devil.  
By all Logic, Logan shouldn’t go. It was a risk, a danger. The risks far outweighed anything he could gain from the exchange, but he realised, through all this time he had managed to lose himself. He wasn’t only Logic, he was also Curiosity, and his Curiosity burned brighter than it had in a long time.

Unsure of whether to attend the meeting or not, Logan used the greatest weapon in his possession. Knowledge. The note, along with photographs and Logans musing’s were all up on his corkboard, connected to each other in red thread. Each sentence was dissected and analysed word by word. His trusted notepad was looked through twice for any knowledge on the Deceitful Side. 

Fact- Deceit knows about Logan’s issues  
Fact- Deceit has a past of being untrustworthy  
Fact- Deceit wants to meet him  
Conclusion- Deceit has a solution to his solution, or more likely it’s a trap

Logan was skeptical, but he never wanted to feel the way he did earlier that day, his eyes still puffy and head still sore. If there was even a chance, no matter how small, that he would never have to go through that again. That his brain was never so clouded, that his he never had to suppress a sob again, he had to take it. For not only his but for Thomas’s sake. He had to go.

Just in case anything did happen to him, he wrote a note for his own. 

_'To my fellow sides,  
If you are finding this note that must mean something truly awful must have happened as you never need me unless to dig you out of a hole you created for yourselves.'_

Realising that his letter was going in the wrong direction he changed the tone quickly.

_'I don’t need for you to concern yourselves with my wellbeing, however, if I go missing, investigate Deceit. He knows more than he’ll let on._

_Logan.'_

That should be sufficient, he thought to himself as he slid the paper into an envelope. He hoped they never saw it.

Logan was a firm believer in showing up early and so as the clock struck half eleven he began making his way to the door when he heard a knock at his door. Peculiar. He very rarely received knocks on his door, usually only when Roman and Virgil needed a conflict resolved or when Patton was particularly attention deprived and wanted to site by him as he worked. He didn’t mind either. Although in both he was a means to an end he grew to care for the sides, even if they didn’t care about him. In a scramble to hide all traces of his investigation, from the corkboard to the note he wrote to the sides, Logan opened the door only a few seconds later. To his surprise, however, outside the door was Virgil, looking particularly wearied, his eyeshadow smudged. Many questions raced through his mind but before he picked one Virgil was already in the room, sitting on his desk. 

‘I was rethinking what happened this morning Specs, cause you know, that’s my whole role as anxiety, and I realised’ Virgil paused for dramatic effect, Roman wearing off on him. Logan was quite hopeful, maybe he realized how badly they treated him, how Virgil’s suggestion was equivalent to his own. Maybe.

‘You and Roman were bickering quite a lot, could you let up on him a bit, he was pretty bummed out after your argument, spent a whole five minutes talking about how obnoxious you are. It’s exhausting me. It occurred to me if you just stopped talking bad to him, he’d shut up for once. ’

Of course. It wasn’t about his emotions or anything along those lines. No, it was about Roman’s wellbeing. Poor unfortunate Roman was upset for a few minutes, How _awful._ How could he expect Virgil to care? Again, Logan was nothing but a tool used to their advantage time and time again. Despite this, he was still quite concerned for Anxiety.

‘I’ll consider it Virgil. I would, however, appreciate it if you left my room, maybe got some sleep. It is quite late after all.’

With that, Virgil slumped off, the distinct thump of his bedroom door audible after a ‘Night Lo’.

Logan took the letter out from his desk drawer and left it on his meticulously made bed, just in case. Quietly, he crept out his room, closing his door and making his way down to the kitchen, prepared to see a particular Side.

Meanwhile, just down the corridor, two right brain boys were huddled in a pillow fort, quietly singing along to the lyrics of Moana’s ‘You’re Welcome’. This was a ritual of Patton and Roman’s that they have been doing as long as either could remember. A weekly Disney movie accompanied by a midnight feast. They discussed boys, cute animals and all things glittery. As Roman mentioned his comment to Logan that morning, his cheeks blushed furiously. Patton said nothing but smiled gently. Maybe Roman wasn’t aware of his feelings yet but Patton sure was. He just hoped Roman figured it out before jumping headfirst into something crazy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi on my tumblr @dreamydorito. Remember to stay hydrated, love y'all <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Deceit has a proposition for our favourite bespectacled nerd.
> 
> Warning- Food Mentions (let me know if I missed anything)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, I'm sorry it's been so long >w< I'm back now though, so *yeet* take this chapter. Enjoy <3

"Deceit Sanders"

Deceit's head whipped around as he heard the familiar determined voice. The same voice that caused his heart to flutter whenever he heard it. It's owner however didn't know that so Deceit regained his posture, taking a moment to slide back into the persona he was familiar with. "Ah Logan, so I see you've decided to join me after all. And late no less, have you no idea how worried I was about you?"

Perhaps it wasn't a lie but it was enough to convince Logan that it was, which was enough manipulation for Deceit to get away with. After all, he was quite worried that Logan wouldn't show.

"How did you know?"

"What?" A slight smirk appeared on Deceit’s face.

"You know full well what I mean. How did you know about my _feelings_?" As he said _feelings_ he flinched slightly, clearly not very keen on the expression.

"I see we’re cutting straight to the chase then. Let’s just say a little birdy told me." Logan glared at Deceit, Deceit grinning right back at him "Or maybe I just have eyes and ears." A beat passes, Deceit taking too much enjoyment at such close proximity to Logan, noticing how the light gleamed in his dark, earthy brown eyes before remembering he was supposed to be speaking.

"I have an offer for you, but first I need you to trust me"

"Why should I?"

"I don’t know, why should you trust the only person who cared enough to notice your feelings? Even more than your so-called friends.”

Although Logan should have maybe been apprehensive, he had already come so far, and he had so little to lose. Seeing his slight nod, Deceit tells him in a low murmur to close his eyes before putting both his gloved index and middle fingers against Logan’s temples, brushing his hair away gently.

"Open your eyes" Logan’s eyelids fluttered open. Surrounding him was darkness, with no edges or surfaces to be seen. Just him and Deceit, standing on apparent nothingness although he was reasonably disappointed to note that gravity still applied. Deceit pulled wisps of smoke from the air, intricately moving his hands to create a scene.

The shapes of the core sides formed on a couch apparition. They sat together, Virgil opting for the carpet, his head against the arm of the sofa. On the TV, Logan’s favourite programme, Blue Planet, was playing. It was at a hushed volume, with the sides being engaged in a conversation on what sounded like a debate whether Turtles or Tortoises were cuter. It was nearly the same as always, the sides laughing at Pattons puns, however, what struck Logan as strange was that when the Smoke Logan spoke, the other sides listened, occasionally even asking him questions about both species. Logan was entranced, staring at the figures, practically able to imagine how being there could feel. The one spring in the couch digging into his back the slightest bit, his shoulder against Romans, the smell of popcorn. Inside he a felt satisfied calm, when a gloved hand moved through their living room, letting the scene dissolve back into smoke. Its owner had an expression on his face that Logan couldn’t name, but it quickly shifted back into his usual resting smirk. He reached out his palm for Logan to grasp, and as soon as they touched, they snapped back into the kitchen as though they had never left. 

"That could all be yours, Logan. There's just one thing you have to do first"

"I’m presuming that’s what your offer is about?"

Deceit took a moment, making sure he picked the best possible words for this, he only had one chance to get it right.

"Join us, Logan. If you become a dark side they’ll have no choice but to listen to you. And once they do, they’ll see what they missed, and beg for your return, they’ll love you. And in the meantime, Remus and I aren’t much, but we’ll never make you feel the way they did. For the time being, we can make our place a home for you"

Deceit took a breath and started to continue, but at the same time, Logan began to say something. Not wanting to cut him off, he excused himself "My greatest apologies. Please continue."

Logan was shocked. Deceit wanted to listen to him, was aware of his ‘emotions’. He couldn’t join him though. It wouldn’t be right.

"There must be another way."

"You know just as well as I do dear Logan that there isn’t. Their world view is too narrow to even comprehend others Logan"  
Deceit’s voice rose a little bit. It was sharper than before. "They won’t see unless you make them see. If you don’t take a step away now it’s only a matter of time before you’re exiled like everyone else who didn’t fit _in._ Who didn't effortlessly become like them."

Logan was shocked. He’d never seen the snake-like side so angry, but it didn’t seem to be directed at him. He never considered that Deceit had a history with the light sides. That would have been something he would have been aware of. Wouldn’t it?

"Deceit, they wouldn’t do that. They might not understand but they’re not _Evil._ I’m sure there must be another way. I’m sorry but I should go."

Although he had no idea what he would do, and he was so tempted to go with him, there had to be another option, something he hadn’t thought of. If he went through with this he could never go back. It could go right to plan but it could also go horrendously wrong. Ready to walk away, he turned, but he felt a hand on his wrist, tugging him around. It was Deceit.

"OPEN UP YOUR EYES LOGAN, THEY'LL NEVER LISTEN IF YOU PLAY NICE! They’re hurting Thomas and they’re hurting you.’ He tried to calm himself but the mask was shattered, he couldn’t regain his posture just yet, so with tears in his eyes he kept going, hoping he could get through without his voice quavering too much. "I would know."

Logan stared shocked, his brain whirring. _I would know?_

"No one listened to Self-Preservation, the immoral nerd obsessed with snakes. When things went wayward all those years ago, I erased myself from their and your memories. I reappeared as Deceit and you all feared me. More importantly, you all listened to me. Back then, young Self-Preservation and Curiosity were the best of friends. You were kind to me Logan, and I have a debt to repay. It’s too late for me, but you could still flourish"

"Deceit…" Logan searched for something to say. A question, words of comfort perhaps.

"Don’t bother, there’s no time for that now." His eyes were still glimmering with the remaining unshed tears but his voice was cold and emotionless, as though he had blocked that part of himself off again. 

Deceit felt confident in his chances now. He hadn’t intended on oversharing but it could just work. If he could just get him to agree, the plan would start, and he could resolve everything once and for all, one way or another.

"Join us Logan"

His outstretched hand and the offer it represented taunted Logan. He was shocked at the lack of internal struggle he was facing. He wanted to go. Logan couldn’t explain why, it was ineffable, but the urge to agree was pulling at him. Unable to stop himself, Logan grabbed his hand.

"It appears we have ourselves a deal Deceit"  
~~~~~~~  
Five minutes earlier, Patton noticed they were running low on popcorn and so a game of _Rock, Paper, Scissors_ later Roman was sent to the kitchen with the heroic task of securing more. Lightly humming so as not to wake the others, he walked down the old staircase, standing in just the right places so as not to make the steps creak.

He paused on the bottom step when he noticed the kitchen lights were turned on. Maybe the resident emo was grabbing a midnight snack. Or maybe Logan was making himself a cup of coffee. The thought of being alone with Logan caused Roman to blush furiously for reasons unknown even to himself. To his surprise, he could hear voices. There was more than one side? 

Not wanting to be noticed he peeked over the bannister, however, he nearly flipped over it in shock when he noticed none other than Deceit Sanders in conversation with a certain bespectacled nerd. Perhaps he should have listened in or made his presence known but he didn’t want to know what they were talking about. Perhaps he should have even stepped in to rescue Logan from the treacherous villain, but he trusted Deceit. Smart and responsible Logan could handle himself, in the end, both would only do what was best for Thomas. At least that was how Roman tried to reason it to himself as he set upon his unsuccessful return with an empty popcorn bowl and an aching heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember to leave Kudos and maybe drop a comment if you liked it, they really mean the world to me!  
Come say hi on my tumblr @dreamydorito if you want. Remember to stay hydrated, love y'all <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Logan collects some belongings and is hit by Nostalgia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning- Injuries/Wounds, Blood, Swords (Please let me know if I've missed anything)

Roman had planned to return straight to Patton's room. He was already preparing an excuse for his clear lack of popcorn. Eventually, he settled for _‘I’m too tired’_ however as he walked down the long corridor he saw the door to Logan’s room slightly ajar, flooding soft light into the dark corridor. Roman found himself coming to a stop outside the entryway. There was no harm in looking, at least that’s what he tried to tell himself as he made his way inside. He hadn’t been in there without Virgil or Patton in a long time but it remained unchanged by the passage of time, still equally minimalistic and organized as before. His bedding was still the same checkered navy blue design as it was all those years ago. 

They had sat on Logan’s bed together as Logan scolded him for his irresponsibility and cleansed his wounds. It had been a particularly challenging fight against the dragon which Roman barely won and he had been too drained to bandage himself up. Not wanting to worry Patton or disturb Virgil, who at that point was known to him only as Anxiety, he knocked on Logan’s door.

The nerd had been busy reading a book thicker than Roman believed books should ever be, however as soon as Logan saw the exhaustion on Roman’s face and the way he clutched his bloodied arm, he hurried up and helped Roman onto the bed, clearly concerned. It was a quiet evening, neither of them talking much after Roman was forced to promise to care more for his safety. It wasn’t awkward as Roman would have expected, far from it in fact. Something about Logan’s presence was strangely comforting to him. They sat in silence as Logan finished wrapping Roman arm in bandages. They never talked about that night since then so as not to alarm their friends, however from time to time Logan would care for Roman’s various injuries. From watching Logan, his first aid skills improved and he hadn’t visited him in many years. That first was still a memory he was fond of. It didn’t stop Logan from infuriating him the rest of the time though.

Fully aware Logan could enter at any moment, he was about to head out, when he saw something out of the ordinary on Logan's bed. A letter sat there, tempting Roman. It was labelled ‘Fellow Sides’ which presumably included him also. Unable to stop himself, he opened the seal with care, his eyes darting across its content. 

_Go missing? Investigate Deceit?_ What was Logan talking about? Roman’s confusion was abruptly interrupted when he heard creaking floorboards. He placed the letter back onto the bed and fled into the hallway, disappearing into the darkness.

~~~~~  
Deceit had sent Logan to get whatever he’d need for the night, saying his room wouldn’t move to the dark sides home until Logan officially announced himself as one of them, although he was vague with where exactly the dark sides lived. It was something Logan often pondered. 

Entering his room he felt some comfort. Although the world around him may be changing at a faster pace than he could keep up with, his room was always a constant. It was perfectly organized, unchanged since his first arrival to the mindscape as Curiosity. It was reliable. 

Deceit’s earlier confession had caused him to think, had he and a young Deceit spent time here? Robbed of his memories he had no way to know, however hearing the name self-preservation come from Deceit’s mouth he felt a strong emotion he didn’t know. A sort of distant longing and guilt. They must have been close.

He slid open a drawer pulling out his pyjamas. Not yet ready to show his onesie to the others, he opted for a more respectable set. Atop his chest of drawers lay a Rubix cube that had sparked a heated argument between him and Virgil in the past, the anxious side claiming it was unsolvable after having spent many hours of his life trying to finish it. The look on Virgil’s face when Logan solved it in under a minute was priceless. It was a memory Logan treasured, as Virgil spent the rest of the evening shuffling the cube for Logan and handing it back to him, hoping to stump him. He didn’t succeed. The awe in his eyes was subtle but distinct.

Logan grabbed his notepad, wanting to get all the important revelations of the night out on paper. When he grabbed his pen from what he concisely named his ‘writing utensil cup’, he brushed against the pompom on top of the glitter gel pen Patton had once given him. They had been writing new year's resolutions one evening and Logan pen ran out of ink. Letting out a sigh of exasperation he began to get up to fetch a replacement when Patton pulled it out. ‘It writes in glittery pink!’ he exclaimed. 

Although it wasn’t Logan’s style, he didn’t have it in him to refuse Patton. After they finished Logan tried to hand it back but Patton insisted he kept it. As a thank you, he rewrote all of Patton’s recipe cards in the pen, knowing his penmanship would be more readable than Patton’s scribbles.

Logan considered taking it with him, but that would make joining the Dark Sides even harder than it already was. Instead, he settled for a regular navy blue ballpoint. 

The constant nostalgia of the room was causing Logan to waver on his decision, especially after he saw the scrap of Romans sash he had pinned to the inside of his closet door while collecting clean clothes for the next day (technically later that day thought Logan, as it was past midnight). Seeing Roman waving his sword around like a maniac while he practised was irritating Logan, so one day he invited to help Roman out. Although he wasn’t the most skilled swordsman, he understood the form that went into it. Logan had stretched his room to make it a more suitable and the two began.

Roman was quite reluctant at first, offended a nerd like Logan tried to give him pointers, however after a swish of the sabre in which Logan had skewered a piece of his sash, he listened more intently. After the lesson, not only was Roman a much more efficient and worthy opponent, but the posture and form with which he fought was more than enough to scare an enemy off. Although Logan doubted that Roman remembered where he learned his skills, they stuck with him, leading to him arriving at Logan’s doorstep in the dead of night less often. 

There was one last loose thread before he could leave. The letter. It was no longer necessary and yet his fingers lingered over the envelope. When he wrote it only a few hours ago he was still wary of Deceit, could he trust him? He was giving up everything he knew out of trust for someone who’s name he didn’t even know. That was a falsehood. He knew it wasn’t for Deceit. It was for him. He needed to leave. 

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. It was followed by a hushed call from the smooth voice he recognized to be Deceit’s “Logan, are you alright in there? You’ve been in there a while.”

Had Logan not been in a rush and crumpled the letter before putting it in the waste paper bin he would have noticed that the seal on the envelope was opened, however, he was in a rush and did just that, unaware that someone had read seen his words. 

Notepad, pen, pyjamas and clean clothes in his arm, pressed against his body, he opened the door with the other hand. “Lead the way Deceit”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading this chapter, it sure has been a while since I've last updated! I'm hoping to update this a bit more consistently now, Chapter 5 is already in the works :) Feel free to say hi to me on my Tumblr @dreamydorito


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dynamic duo heads to the dark mindscape and turn in for the night, however, it's not as easy as they expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning- Blade Mentions, Crying, Negative Emotions, Anxious Thoughts (It's a little rough but there's some good comfort at the end) (if there's anything else let me know)

Despite Logan’s complaints, Deceit insisted on putting a blindfold before his eyes.

“It’s just until you’re officially one of us Logan, I promise”

Although Logan was curious to know where the dark sides resided, the fact that he would soon know relieved him. As the soft fabric covered his face, the world went dark. He felt his companion’s hand on his shoulder, leading him down the corridor. 

His confident stride showed no sign of stopping, moving forward at a high pace, however, as Logan predicted them approaching the end of the corridor he paused. His spacial awareness and knowledge of this part of the house was impeccable, and he was sure that a wall was mere centimetres before him. If they continued to walk straight, they would certainly hit it.

Deceit shuffled next to him, and in a quiet tone spoke into his ear “Trust me.”

At the same time as Deceit, he took a step forward. Then another. Then another. Logan was convinced they were right in front of the wall earlier and he was hardly ever wrong, yet they would have hit it by now if that was the case. It was plausible to him that they somehow travelled behind or through the wall. It would make sense of why he could never locate where the dark sides resided. Perhaps there was more to the mindscape than he expected.

The two walked in a straight line for another twenty-seven seconds before Deceit took a left turn. The creak of a door opening filled the otherwise silent corridor (or what Logan could only assume was still a corridor) and the two stepped forward. 

After shutting the door, Deceit carefully untied the blindfold. Logan saw what was a near-identical version of the light side mindscape, the only difference being a mildly darker colour scheme and in the place where the stairs were, there was an entrance to a dark corridor.

Deceit turned his head in search and called out “Hey Remus, I have something to show you”

~~~

Remus took the news surprisingly well, seemingly excited to have another person to ‘play’ with, whatever that entailed. Logan could predict a lot of friendly Shurikens in his future.

Although he was very energetic, Deceit insisted it was his bedtime.

Leaving the sparkly green door slightly ajar, Deceit and Remus entered the first room in the corridor.

From his seat at the kitchen table, Logan could hear a soft muttering coming from Remus room, followed by what he could swear sounded like a lullaby. His room was directly across from the kitchen, marking the beginning of a dark corridor, where he was sure the rest of the rooms were. 

Deceit slid out the room, closing the door behind him soundlessly. He gestured at Logan to follow him, so he did. 

They walked down the corridor without making a single noise before Deceit came to an abrupt stop outside a black door. In a hushed voice, he started to speak. “Although we, unfortunately, don’t have a spare bedroom, there is a place you can sleep. I can’t guarantee its state as no one has been in there for a long time, but it’s a room where you’ll be able to rest”

He moved aside, revealing a piece of paper stuck to the door with the name ‘Virgil’ written on it in marker. Although Logan had always suspected it, it was confirmation. At some point, Virgil had been a dark side. It was a bittersweet fact for him, although his smooth adjustment to the light sides was proof that Logan could thrive with the dark sides, knowing that someone who wasn’t even a light side was more valued than him, even when he first showed up stung quite a bit.

“When a side moves their room usually moves with them, however, Virgil wanted nothing to do with his old life, so the room remained as though to taunt us” There was a sombre tone to his voice. Deceit must have truly cared for Virgil, Logan thought to himself, he wondered why Virgil would ever leave. 

“In case you need me during the night, I will be right across the corridor in that room there” Deceit’s gloved finger pointed to a door with a sign in the same black cardstock that his note to Logan was. The word ‘Deceit’ written on it in a cursive font. The secret of Deceit’s name was not one he would get an answer to any time soon.

~~~

The effects of this room were so much stronger than those of Virgil’s light side room. The second he stepped in he felt as though he had been punched in the stomach, a ball of stress and fear building up in the pit of his soul. He would be okay, Logan reassured himself, although there a voice in the back of his head that whispered _What if it won’t be?_

The very look and aesthetic of Virgil’s old room was enough to put him on edge. The walls were painted a pitch-black, covered in chaotic scribbles in a brightly clashing purple pen. Logan deducted they were intended to be words, however, they were unreadable, appearing to have been written frantically. The room itself was extremely cluttered, making it quite the challenge to get to the bed without tripping. Deceit had clearly left the room untouched, as wide open on the bed was a notebook, filled with what on closer inspection were various ways to get away from the dark sides. While Logan couldn’t bring himself to decipher all of them as many were quite dreadful, the one that caught his attention was circled. It was the solution he had gone with. Logan was quite glad things worked out for Virgil the way they did. 

Had being with Remus and Deceit been so bad? He couldn’t fully understand. It had only been a few minutes during which he interacted with both, but when he was with them it seemed so comfortable. It was like he was finally home. A very chaotic home but a home nonetheless. They had both been so happy to be around him.

Not wanting to stay awake in the room any longer, all too aware of the growing anxiety he could feel, he quickly got changed and turned out all lights but the lamp on the bedside table, scared to be alone in the dark.

~~~

Logan’s logical thinking was impaired. Although he knew there was no reason to be concerned, the room left him scared and on edge. He curled up as tight as he could, hugging his knees for support. Thoughts and words were fleeting in and out of his mind. Fears and insecurities buried so deep Logan wasn’t even aware of them. 

What was he doing here? To have trusted a mysterious figure, it was ridiculous. How could he have been so stupid! He had no reason to trust Deceit. He was the literal personification of lies. What if he wanted to hurt Logan? Did he only act so sincere to trick Logan into an act of revenge on the Light sides?

Why would he leave the light sides? They will definitely hate him for leaving, even more than they already did. They were probably talking negatively about him right now. They must think he was a bothersome know it all. He had passed the point of return. There was nothing he could do. No matter what he did, he was trapped, like a bird in a cage.

He felt like all the decisions were suffocating him, his chest feeling heavy. Logan took gasping breaths. Somewhere within him, there was a small ounce of Logic telling him he was okay but it was drowned out by the other screaming in his mind. 

Before he could bring it in himself to disprove any of the voices, to tell himself the reason they were wrong, he was already panicking about a different one.

What if someone saw him and Deceit in the kitchen. Or worse, read the note?! Things could go so badly. What if tomorrow before he could say anything to the sides, they confronted him about it? What if they ignored everything he said?

Desperate attempts to calm his now hyperventilations resulted in more stress. 

Everything was out in the open, out of their clean boxes in Logan’s mind where he compartmentalized all he felt. They were tangled together. 

He would disappoint the Dark Sides. He would fail Thomas, mess him up. Why did he think his feelings mattered?! This was all about Thomas, how will all this affect him. Such a disturbance in the mind palace would wreak havoc on his stability. No matter what Logan did he failed Thomas. If he stayed, his emotions got the better of him. If he left, everyone else’s emotions would get the better of them. There was no winning.

~~~

Deceit was preparing to sleep. His outfit had been replaced with black shorts and a yellow t-shirt. He also switched to a clean pair of gloves. He thought about the last twenty-four hours. He had been so vulnerable. It felt unnatural. Fortunately, he would be able to act his usual way tomorrow to the light sides before he combusted from genuineness. On the other hand, speaking with Logan more honestly was quite nice, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to be more open around him.

There was a shaky knock at his door. Deceit opened it. On the other side was a trembling Logan. Without a second thought, he invited Logan inside, wrapping him in a blanket from his bed. Logan flung his arms around Deceit, holding onto him for dear life. He could feel his shuddering breaths against him. As supportively as Deceit could, he pulled him close, murmuring a couple reassurances, reminding him that he was safe.

“Can you try taking some deep breaths for me, Logan, do your best to keep in time with me.” Deceit breathed in for four, held it for seven and breathed out for eight then repeated the process. The effects of his room were slowly having positive effects on Logan, his breathing getting steadier with each set. 

Deceit chastised himself. How could he have been so stupid! To assume the effects of Virgil's room had worn off after he disappeared was completely careless of him. While distracted, overjoyed to have everything working out so well, he forgot about the numerous times Virgil would come into his room in the same state as Logan, sometimes worse. It was lucky his room was so helpful.

They sat there together, breathing, for many minutes. After Logan appeared calmer, Deceit slowly pulled away and started to speak “I’m so sorry you had to experience tha-” when he was interrupted by a still mildly shaky but awe-struck Logan.

“Your room. It’s...forcing honesty. Not just in speech but emotional honesty and clarity. As soon as I walked in, everything started to fade away. How?” While speaking Logan whipped out his small notepad from his back pocket and started to note things down, thankful to be surrounded by facts again.

“It’s what you could call a power of mine, although I think of it more as a side effect. Consider it one of the many weird things my role grants me”

Logan looked at Deceit in question, but Deceit decided they should probably get to sleep soon. “That’s for another time, Logan.” With it not being a lie, he could get away with saying that in his room.

The two sat there for a few seconds, both quite slow from lack of sleep and the emotional rollercoaster that they’ve been living that day, before it dawned on them simultaneously that Logan no longer had a place to sleep.

“You can take my room if you’d like, I can sleep on the couch in the living room.”

Logan didn’t want to be alone. “I don’t want to be alone,” he said. The truth forcing powers of the room were impressive to him.

Logan offered to sleep on the floor but Deceit shut him down, knowing he’d feel bad if that happened. They squabbled about he would sleep on the chair, both wanting to be the better person before eventually, they settled on sharing Deceit’s double bed. They both lay down, and after Logan’s request to keep the light on, closed their eyes. Logan curled up against Deceit’s shoulder and the two fell asleep within minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Happy first update this decade!! I just wanted to take this moment to thank everyone that leaves kudos or kind words (or both!!) I appreciate all of you so much! Have a wonderful day :)  
Also, feel free come say hi to me on my Tumblr @dreamydorito


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Logan has an announcement to make (and also gets some cool new clothes)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning- Sympathetic Remus, Food mention, Crying

Logan sat in the kitchen, partaking in a morning slice of Crofter’s slathered toast. Behind him, Deceit was busying himself at the counter, although Logan had no idea what he was up to as Deceit made him swear not to turn around, claiming he wanted whatever it was, to be a surprise. He felt a lot better that morning than he did the previous night. In his opinion, the importance of a good night’s sleep was not to be underestimated. 

When he awoke at seven in the morning he decided he should start getting ready. Based on his knowledge he knew the optimum time to meet with the other sides would be at half eight. As it as a Sunday, all the sides and Thomas tended to sleep until around eight. It would give them enough time to get ready in the morning without having them go downstairs for breakfast and potentially noticing him missing from his usual spot on the sofa, where he would read early each morning. All that was left was to prepare himself.

With breakfast out-of-the-way he took out his notepad and tried to figure out what exactly he would tell everyone, however, he didn’t get very far before he noticed a figure standing right in front of him.

“Good Morning Remus”

“How long are you going to stay?” Remus's bluntness didn't bother him.

“Hopefully permanently, is that okay with you?”

“Why of course! A nerd to play with! I can’t wait!”

Logan chuckled a little. There was a moment where the two of them smiled at each other. Even just a week ago that would have seemed impossible. Although the light side/dark side rift never seemed important to Remus, as he was very much an extrovert, he seemed a lot more comfortable around Deceit. Logan, on the other hand, would have never dreamed of befriending the Dark Sides. Not that he had any issue with them; he just knew he wasn’t _supposed_ to. Now though...now it seemed that a friendship was possible.

From behind him, a hand reached out, handing Remus a glass filled with a red liquid. Cranberry juice, Deceit explained, saying it made Remus feel cool. He gulped it down in one, with red stains around his mouth, before he continued to speak with Logan.

“Hey, Brainiac? Maybe you could teach me some biology? Infections, Organs, all that good stuff. It’ll really help step the daydreams up to a new level”

“Any time Remus, I’d be more than happy to.” As Remus bounced back to his room, Logan was filled with a warm joy. He had wanted to learn from Logan. This could be his future. First, he just had to tell Thomas, Roman, Virgil and Patton. He had a fairly good idea of how they would react, but he so desperately hoped they’d surprise him. 

Making sure not to glance at what Deceit was doing, he turned his head slightly to the side and called out “Could you help out with something Deceit? I have an idea.”

~~~

Wanting Thomas to be present, he picked the Living Room instead of the mindscape, and like he had many times before, called a meeting. All the sides and Thomas had the ability to call a meeting, letting everyone know they were wanted. These ranged from solving Thomas’s moral dilemmas to having to comment on the Princes new makeup look. 

Logan’s were objectively the most boring, but usually the most important meetings. He discussed scheduling and general safety. It wasn’t what the others cared about (except when he told the sides not to act recklessly, which Virgil agreed with). This time however it would be a lot more interesting. With one last glance at Deceit, who gave him a reassuring smile, he sank. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he pondered whether he would be able to appear and disappear like the dark sides when he was officially one of them. He rose into the empty living room, in his usual spot by the stairs. As agreed, he would begin alone so the light sides wouldn’t be hostile, as Deceit and Remus monitored. Then, when the time was right they would arrive.

The first to come was Roman. Usually, he would complain before Logan’s meetings, but today he was quiet, diverting his gaze so as not to meet Logan’s eyes. While it was peculiar, Logan filed it away for later pondering, not wanting to be distracted.

Next was Thomas, who walked down the stairs in his Pyjamas. He must have slept in longer than Logan predicted. Despite the yawning, he was surprisingly awake, greeting Logan and Roman with a bright smile.

In quick succession came Patton and Virgil, both acting as they usually did. Patton cheerfully and Virgil groaning, as though he would rather be anywhere else. He gave Logan a meaningful stare, glancing back at Roman, reminding him not to upset Roman. It was a shame Logan was about to do just that.

He took a deep breath. After this was over and done with, he could finally live the life he wanted. He would be free. Keep it short, he reminded himself, don’t get too emotional. If he showed weakness they would rip him apart.

“I called you all here to inform you of something you should all know. I have made a major decision that may affect all of you, however, it is in Thomas’s best interest.” The sides who were previously only half paying attention to him were now very interested, although quite confused. 

“I’m sharing this for context, not for a reaction of any sort, however, I believe I’m not appreciated for what I do.” Patton opened his mouth to speak but Logan continued. It was his turn to have a say. 

“I don’t feel like I can be comfortably myself around all of you, which is something I believe I deserve. That’s okay though because I’ve found a solution to all of our problems. You would no longer have to force yourself to be around me when not necessary, and I will be able to be myself.” He knew he should end there, where his rehearsed speech ended, but he was unable to help himself from saying one more thing.

“I’m done with not being good enough. Never good enough for any of you. Not memorable enough to even be asked about my day, or to have a place in any of your hearts. Now...Now I’m not good at all.” There was more pent-up venom in his words than he expected. 

Almost unnoticeably, Logan slightly nodded. Like they had rehearsed, Deceit and Remus appeared either side of him. Roman gasped. 

Turning to look at Deceit, Logan gave him a gentle smile, encouraging him to go ahead as they planned. 

“My _dearest_ fellow sides. It is with great _sadness_ that I have the honour to introduce you to the newest dark side, Logan ‘Logic’ ‘Curiosity’ Sanders. 

Deceit pulled off his cape with all the theatricality he could muster. “Now for the grand reveal.”

Deceit spun his cape around Logan and the side disappeared behind the blur of fabric. It was Logan's chance to turn into a butterfly in a radical transformation. After a few moments, he slowed down, showing a new Logan.

Logan kept his signature shade of blue. Whilst Deceit offered to change his colours to orange or possibly even pink, he refused. He wouldn’t let them take away something he considered such a major part of his identity. 

To the shock of Thomas, Logan was now dressed smartly in a black shirt, paired with a dark navy notched lapel vest and a bright blue bow tie. Over it, he wore an unbuttoned black trench coat, an homage to one of his heroes, Sherlock Holmes. He put a lot of thought into his new look. He wanted something that showed who he was. He had come a long way since the original polo shirt.

The sound of Virgil's footsteps was the first to break the hush that had fallen over the room. He thundered up the stairs, slamming a door, most likely the door to Thomas’s room, shut behind him. 

Patton’s sniffling was next as he used his cardigan sleeves to wipe away the tears that were running down his face at an alarming rate. “Oh” was all that he could muster. Trying to stop crying he diverted his gaze from Logan. It was then that he noticed the distressed Thomas. 

Thomas...Thomas looked broken. Shattered beyond repair. As he tried to make sense of what had happened, he showed different expressions. Betrayal, closely followed by sympathy, then panic. He eventually settled on a melancholic confusion. Patton’s paternal instincts kicked in and he wrapped his arms around Thomas, murmuring reassurances to him. 

The most unexpected response was from Roman. Logan had expected a dramatic reaction however he looked trapped by his own thoughts, muttering incoherent words while staring down at his hands. 

It did hurt Logan to see them that way, but he understood their emotions didn’t come from a place of love for him, instead of a loss of familiarity’s comfort. In time they would adjust as he did. With a snap of his fingers, all three of them reappeared in the dark Mindscape. Although he didn’t need to snap them, the dramaticism of it was irresistible. Deceit must be rubbing off on him.

As soon as they got back Deceit told him to wait in the living room as he and Remus went into the kitchen. They came out carrying a cake. It was frosted black with blue writing in icing that read ‘Welcome to our family’. 

Remus started cheering as Deceit set it down and cut a slice for Logan, who was completely speechless. He took a small bite and realized the filling was Crofters jam. 

“I...uh...This is very much adequate. Thank you.”

He continued enjoying his slice as Remus and Deceit both tried it also. He could feel tears welling up in his eyes although he didn’t understand why. He wasn’t upset, quite the opposite. This was something entirely new.

The cake disappeared within a matter of minutes. As he was washing up the dishes, a thought popped into his head. Filled with excitement and hope he slowly finished washing up, not wanting to leave the job half done, before sprinting towards the corridor. A wave of relief hit him as he saw the plain blue-painted door he knew so well. The moment he stepped in he could feel the focus returning to him. How he had missed his room and its effects. He sat down at his desk and started to catch up on the work and responsibilities he had neglected since the previous day.

~~~

“Deceit Sanders” Virgil yelled at the door as his fist pounded against its surface. He had something to settle with the snake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well! If you want you can give me attention on my Tumblr @dreamydorito . Love y'all <3 (~Also I considered drawing dark Logan but I have all of 0 artistic abilities~)
> 
> My friend who beta reads these chapters before i post them keeps telling me that I don't use enough commas so this chapter i added them wherever i could. I either tragically overdid it or still underdid it. Funnily enough, she didn't proofread this one (and if you're reading this Cat, I need you to know- a)I Love You b) Avocado)


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Virgil confronts Deceit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning- Shouting and Arguing

“Deceit Sanders” Virgil yelled at the door as his fist pounded against its surface. “Open this door _right now!_”

Deceit, who was relaxing in his room after an eventful day, gasped slightly as he heard the familiar voice. Although he had listened to him speak many times since Virgil left, the fact that he came all the way to the dark part of the mindscape shocked him. Judging by the amount he hated this place, Deceit knew something powerful must have compelled him to come. 

“I know you’re in there Deceit, and you and I need to talk!”

Suddenly he realized the other sides must hear them, so pushing his emotions aside for a moment, he acted. With a few slick movements, he opened the door to a very angry Virgil and signalled for him to follow as he walked to the end of the hall, into a dark room. Virgil followed without much of a fuss, knowing first-hand how stubborn the snake side could be when protecting his friends.

The Dark Room, which had no name other than ‘The Dark Room’, had very little purpose. It was uninhabitable due to its unreliableness. Objects would disappear if left, it was always slightly too cold and unwelcoming and if you stood there in silence for too long, strange whispers would call to you, demanding you go in further. It did, however, have one good and much-tried use. Due to its soundproof walls, it was a good place to scream and break things after a frustrating day.

As soon as the door closed Virgil spun around, staring daggers at Deceit. Deceit stood his ground, determined to finally have the standoff he imagined having for so long. Peace wasn’t an option.

“You. You are the reason for all of this. I don’t know how you tricked Logan into coming here but give him back. No deserves to be trapped here with you.”

He spoke in the manner he knew would most infuriate him. “Oh but my dearest Vee, I didn’t have to do anything. You and your little friends did all the convincing for me. Go ahead and throw your hissy fit though, you sure look like you need it.”

Virgil's face lit up bright red as he clenched his teeth. “Don’t you talk all condescending at me! I know who you are. I know everything about you so don’t bother trying to scare me.”

“You really don’t have a plan for what to say, do you? You just came marching down here with your fist in the air with nothing to achieve except telling me off.”

Virgil yelled out in frustration. “Stop trying to mess with my head and own up for what you did and what you’re planning! I know you have something you want to achieve and you're using Logan to gain some advantage. Well, whatever it is you want, just keep my family out of it, okay?! Haven’t you taken enough from me already?!”

Deceit paused. “What do you mean taken enough from you?” His blood ran cold as he looked at the side before him. “I did nothing but care for you and look out for you whenever I could. I went above and beyond as your friend. I did all I could and in return do you know what you did? You left without as much as a goodbye! The nerve to accuse me of doing anything to harm you back then!” 

Virgil lowered his voice to a normal speaking volume however his words were laced with venom and spite. “Really Deceit? You have _no idea_ what you took from me? Well, how about every time you forbade me from speaking to the other sides. You claimed it was out of concern but you were just scared I would realize how much better they were than you. How about every time you would stop me from sensing what Thomas was doing leaving me so much more nervous. How about every time you told me what to say to the others when we actually _did_ talk. Telling me to blame them. 

And worse of all, you took away my chance at a normal family. You took me away and hid me here before they even knew I existed. You never cared about me, I was just a pawn in one of your schemes. You can claim that was ‘worry and concern’ but I know you’re lying. Do you know why? Because we’re here and not in your room You’re hiding something, and I’m going to figure out what it is.”

Deceit felt the same sharp pain he felt when Virgil left him the first time. All of it had gotten so convoluted in Virgil’s mind.

Virgil turned to walk away when he heard words that shook him to his core. “Why do you care about Logan? How is it any different than what you did?” He had personally left because he couldn’t bear to feel the hurt of seeing Deceit every day, of always feeling like the villain. Could Logan have felt the same?

Virgil stormed out, slamming the door behind him as tears pricked at his eyes.

~~~  
Logan grabbed at his door handle when he heard Virgil leaving the far room. Based just on the shouting he heard when Virgil was still in the hall, he assumed it wasn’t going to end in peace. He walked out the door, standing himself in the path of the side. He recoiled at the sight of Logan.

“What do you want, traitor?” he hissed out.

“Give me a minute of your time Virgil. Let me explain.” 

In all honesty, Logan didn’t care much what Virgil thought; he had stopped being concerned with that the moment he agreed to come with Deceit. He just didn’t want Virgil to have anything to hold against Deceit and the dark sides as a whole. Things seemed so tense between them already.

Virgil considered it before reluctantly agreeing on the premise it would only be a minute. He walked into Logan’s room. 

“Well spit it out then.”

“To put it in terms you’d understand, when you got more _constructively involved_ in Thomas’s life, you decided you didn’t want to be the bad guy anymore. I, on the other hand, decided I didn’t want to be ignored and ostracized anymore. I wanted to be listened to, to be heard, so I did what I did. It was fully my decision.”

Virgil narrowed his eyes at Logan.

“_...fine._ But don’t expect me to defend you around the others, or be nice to you for that matter. And I’ll still be keeping an eye on that snake.”

Logan smiled the tiniest bit. Virgil’s snark was much funnier now that it didn’t affect him.

“That’s all I could possibly expect from you, Virgil. Have a good rest of the night.”

Virgil grunted back as he left the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's been over a month however due to .../reasons/ I suddenly have a lot more time on my hands. I should update within a couple of weeks. I just wanted to thank everyone for the support this fanfic has gotten. Thank you for taking the time to leave a kudo or a comment! All your kind words mean so much to me! Stay safe everyone <3


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman and Patton try to cope with the loss of Logan. Instead of accepting his decision, they go another route.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's ya girl coming back at you with another chapter. I'll see y'all in the end notes with some good news! 
> 
> Warnings- Crying, Angst

While Virgil went to argue with Deceit, Morality and Creativity reacted quite differently. After the dark sides, now with Logan in their ranks, left, everyone wandered back to their rooms trying to comprehend what just happened.

Roman was sitting on his floor, his mind whirring. He couldn’t help but blame himself. All the signs were there. Seeing them together in the kitchen, the note. If he was truly a hero he could have rescued Logan before that conniving snake got to him. Had he tricked Logan, brainwashed him? Maybe he kidnapped Logan and replaced him with a clone. The possibilities were endless. The only thing Roman knew with certainty, was that Logan needed help. And Roman was going to be the one to save him. First...he just needed some help.

Slowly he got up, using his bed to help him find his balance. After a moment to regain his bearing having been sat staring a hole into the floor for quite a while, he walked out his room. Roman could’ve gotten to Patton’s room blindfolded considering how often he made the trip. Whenever he had a really good idea he’d come to tell Patton, needing a sounding board for his concepts. 

On Patton’s rougher days it was usually Roman who made sure he was taking care of Patton. Roman and… Logan. Logan would check up on Patton too. Roman shook the feeling off. He’d get Logan back soon. No matter what. 

Roman debated whether it was a good idea to knock on Patton’s door as he stood in front of it. There was the small possibility that Patton was asleep, getting some much-needed sleep with a worry in the world. He put his ear up to the door, holding his breath as he hoped to hear Patton’s gentle snoring.

In a moment of heartbreak, he heard muffled sobs coming from the other side. _Poor guy,_ Roman thought to himself.

He knocked on the door softly, not wanting to startle Patton. A moment passed and he wondered if he should just go when the door opened slightly and a dishevelled-looking Patton glanced outside, checking for who it was. When his eyes fell on Roman, for just a split second, he looked slightly disappointed. Roman couldn’t blame him, Although it was ridiculous he too had hoped Logan would show up to see him. 

Realising how he must have looked Patton’s mouth stretched into a tight smile, a little too wide for his face. “Roman! How lovely of you to come to see me. Would you like to come inside?” His voice was over-the-top bubbly, not so different from when Deceit masqueraded as Patton. Like he was playing a role, wearing a mask.

As Roman walked inside he saw Patton wiping the remaining tears glistening from his face with the sleeve of his cardigan out of the corner of his eye. 

“How are you holding up Pop?” Roman asked sincerely. “And you don’t have to lie.” He added in a quieter tone. Hearing the word _lie _Patton stiffened, most likely having been reminded of that treacherous snake man. Roman muttered a couple of profanities under his breath, mad at himself for bringing Patton more pain.

“...I’ve been better,” Patton said, picking his words carefully so as not to upset Roman. It was very chivalrous, Roman noted. 

"I know Pat. Do you want to..." he trailed off, looking at Patton pointedly. The two had been friends long enough, Roman knew he would understand what he meant.

"I think I just need more time before I can talk about it. I'd appreciate a hug though if you're offering."

Roman wrapped his arms around Patton, stroking the back of his head as Patton cried into his shoulder. It hurt seeing Patton like this, his usual cheery demeanour gone. Although he already swore to save Logan, he was even more determined. He'd bring him home, for Logan's good _and_ Patton's.

"I had an idea Padre, to get him back."

Patton recoiled from Romans hold and stared at him wide-eyed. "Bring him back? Oh no, Ro, he chose this. It's what best for him. We failed him, the least we could do is let him find happiness." He spoke with melancholy in his voice.

Patton's words stung Roman more than any fight injury had. There was no bad intention behind them but the fact they had caused Logan to run to the dark sides, that Roman had driven Logan into the arms of Deceit? It was more than he could bear.

He wouldn't believe it. He refused. Logan was one of the light side, part of the core three. For as long as Roman could remember it was him, Patton and Logan. Patton being his best friend and Logan being his…his good friend. A friend who made his heart feel funny when he was around and leaving him feeling like he was dancing on clouds. A friend he may have at some point wanted to date. 

"Pat, there's something you don't know," Roman explained how he saw Deceit talking with Logan late at night and the note about investigating Deceit if Logan were to disappear. “There’s definitely something up.”

Patton raised his brow. “Are you _sure _Roman?”

“I’m sure. He needs our help and we’re going to give it to him. We’ll get him back.” He squeezed Patton’s hand as his friend's eyes filled with hope.

“Yeah! We can get him back, this is a good idea.” He said reassuring himself more than Roman. “Have you got a plan?”

~~~

Logan was reading in his room, his door wide open. When living with the Light Sides he never used to do that but it felt right for the time being. He could hear Remus singing to Deceit in the kitchen along with Deceit’s occasional swearing as he tried to prepare dinner. Although he could just apparate it like they could with any objects he claimed it didn’t taste quite right without his secret ingredient. Whether that ingredient was Love or Spite, Logan wasn’t quite sure yet. Whatever it was, it tasted incredible.

“Hey Logan, you’ve got mail!” Deceit called out to him. Mail? That wasn’t right, how could he get mail? It wasn’t like they got spam mail or bank statements in the Mindscape. Curious, he placed a bookmark in his book then peeked his head out the door.

Deceit was standing in the hallway wearing an apron reading ‘Kiss the Chef’. Like every time he saw the words, he contemplated it, but Logan was still figuring out exactly where that temptation came from. It was...complicated.

In his hand were three identical notecards, in a thick cardstock. They looked almost like invitations.

“My, my. You sure have been plenty of mail recently. Maybe we should open you a P.O box to make this easier for everyone for all your _Fans.” _Deceit teased.

Logan, however, was thinking _‘Oh no, not another note’._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Technically you can't complain about my update schedule because it's actually pretty regular. It's usually around a month and a few days. It's usually around the month mark I realise 'dang I haven't update NOLTLS' and get out another chapter. 
> 
> This was kind of a filler chapter but I'm super excited for what's coming. Speaking of which, I have some related good news!
> 
> *drumroll* I...have fully planned out the rest of the story. I'm leaving plenty of room for artistic freedom and making things more dramatic but I have key plot points and what I'm sure y'all are most excited about, ships, all figured out. So stick around folks cause things are gonna get exciting!
> 
> Also like...I know I keep promising I'll post more often so this time I won't, I will just say, schoolwork is taking up more time now than when I actually went to school. I have been writing a lot though so y'all can have a look through my account for some other content to keep y'all busy.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Deceit just keeps seeing Roman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warnings- Food mentions

The first time Deceit saw Roman that week was the day after they received the invitation to the light side’s so-called ‘Ball’, asking them to come to a party they were hosting in a week. Logan was already pouring over every small detail in the note, from word choice and potential messages hidden in the sentence structure, to the type of ink used. Deceit, however, was alright seeing how it would play out. It was clearly a ploy to get Logan back, he knew that much at least.

He was about to make his way back to the dark side residence, having returned Remus’s RSVP for him as he was slightly preoccupied with his new ‘project’, whatever that meant. From previous experiences, Deceit decided it best not to ask, and just hope nothing would have exploded by the time he got back. He was waiting for Logan’s call before he decided on whether or not to go. Remus, on the other hand, was down as he ‘felt like causing chaos’. 

As he turned to leave, Deceit double-checked his invitation, carried safely in the breast pocket of his cape, to ensure he had disposed of Remus’s note (which consisted of the scrawling letters crayoned onto a crumpled piece of lined paper, with an illustration of a shark and an octopus fist fighting in the corner of the page) in the right place. Sure enough, the invitation said to leave it outside Patton’s door, which he had. He became increasingly aware of feeling even more exposed the longer he stood in the light side corridor. It wasn’t as if he was worried about being kidnapped for ransom by the light sides, he was doubtful they were capable of that, being held back by their ‘morals’ or whatever they claimed. It was just that it was unlikely a face to face encounter with any of the light sides would be a good idea currently, considering the precarious position in which their relationships stood. 

He made his way out as fast as was possible without appearing suspicious, just in case anyone was watching. And as if the universe was trying to spite him, as he was passing Roman’s room, the prince himself walked out. 

He jumped back as he saw him. “Deceit?” Deceit clenched his jaw …just his luck. 

“Roman! Hi!” He said in a mocking excitement. “Hate to cut this short, but I don’t want to be here right now, so I’ll be leaving.” Roman appeared too stunned by the sudden appearance of Deceit to respond, and Deceit left before he could regather his thoughts, stalking back into the shadows.

He huffed at this comment. How aggravating.

While that was the first time the pair ran into each other that week, it certainly wasn’t the last.

It wasn’t uncommon for Thomas to call in only a few of the sides to help him with smaller decisions such as what to wear when meeting with friends, and with the newfound tensions that had recently appeared, Thomas had refrained from calling them all together. Deceit was rarely his first choice when facing an issue, or any choice other than second last for the matter, Remus taking pride in his last place, so when he strolled into the light side kitchen to steal their orange juice, he wasn’t surprised to see Thomas in a discussion with a side he couldn’t make out in the dim lighting. 

As he silently opened their fridge, he heard snatches of conversation. 

“…few more weeks…” 

“…you sure?…not good anymore…” 

“…guarantee…party…plan…promise.”

Deceit was content to leave them to their own devices, it wasn’t as if they were saying anything he hadn’t assumed previously. Even the light sides wouldn't decide to host an extravagant party out of the blue during such a time without a plan, even if they did appear to be stupid enough for that to be plausible.

Orange juice in hand, he walked out satisfied. That was until something moved as he stood on it and the floor seemed to rush towards him. With a deafening crash, he fell to the ground, bringing down a few pots and pans he had hit with his arms during his descent. Cursing under his breath he sat up, Deceit was at the very least relieved to see the bottle of orange juice intact. His eyes met a piece of paper labelled ‘Cookie Recipe’. The culprit of his slipping no doubt. 

“Who’s there?” Thomas called out, his voice heightened and apprehensive. “Is it a murderer?”

“Don’t worry Thomas, I’ll protect you!” The unidentified side said, his voice getting louder and louder, joined by the sound of his approaching footprints.

Deceit looked his head around but he had nowhere to run, nor did he even have the time to stand up before the figure barged into the kitchen, wielding a sword in his hands, staring down at Deceit, who was like a deer in the headlights.

“Deceit? What the hell are you doing here?” Roman said, stopping in his tracks and lowering his sword.

“I could ask you the same question.”

“... I live here.”

“Hm, a weak excuse if you ask me,” teased Deceit. He stood up. “It appears I have to cut our meeting short yet again, how unfortunate. How about we don't do this again, I know you’re obsessed with me but we simply have to stop seeing each other like this.”

“Woah there,” Roman said, now blocking the doorway with his arms, his sword sheathed again. “Just you wait for a minute. You got away from me last time, but not so fast now.”

“Hey Roman, who was it? Did you get murdered?” Thomas called from the living room.

Roman’s head whipped around at this. “Just Virgil getting more coffee, he had a spill so I’m helping him clean up!” His face contorted into something incomprehensible.

“Do you need a hand?” 

“No no, you stay right there Thomas, and I’ll be with you in a second!”

Deceit grinned “Aw, covering for me huh? I’m almost touched.”

“This isn’t for you.” Roman knelt down to pick up the leaf of paper, lying abandoned on the floor. “He’s conflicted about all you dark sides right now, it’s best if he doesn’t know you’re here. Now, listen to me.”

Deceit raised his eyebrow playfully. “Oh?”

“I’m onto you and your little game, Deceit. And I’m going to save him from whatever brainwashing you put him under. Just you wait.”

“Oh no,” Deceit put his hands up in feigned fear. “Whatever will I do now that you've uncovered my super-secret evil plan.”

“You’re literally not even denying it!”

“Why would I? It seems no matter what I say you’d still be convinced I’m some kind of Disney villain.

“Well let’s both hope I remain as fortunate and don’t run into you again any time soon.” He pushed past Roman, bumping shoulders, leaving him clenching the recipe.

_Damn it, and after all that I ended up forgetting my orange juice, _he thought to himself as he walked off rubbing at his bruises. Eventually, he decided to blame Roman, although nothing but a mere distraction, he was a distraction nonetheless. To see a light side twice outside the context of a meeting in such a short amount of time was uncommon, yet it just so happened that it kept happening. 

Wherever he went, there too was Roman, who also seemed increasingly agitated with their constant meetings. Whether he was running through the complicated back passages tracking Remus and accidentally ending up in yet another corner of the light side living area, or going out to the garden at night to watch the stars, there he was.

When Deceit next returned to the light side area to return Logan’s and his own RSVPs, Logan having, at last, decided to go, he was on high alert. There was a level of certainty in him that another encounter with the Princely side would end in nothing less than blood, tears and noise complaints, so it was best to avoid that until the ball. Afterall, Deceit had to admit he was mildly curious at what exact plan the light sides have devised, now that they were short of their most intelligent member. 

Logan’s influence must have rubbed off on him as when he saw light coming from a door that he could guarantee wasn’t previously there, he could help but stop and find out what was happening. The scene he encountered was quite an interesting one. 

~~~

Virgil leaned against the wall of the ballroom Roman had imagined into existence. It was a grand room, the high-ceilings painted in intricate golden designs. 

Despite his better judgement he had agreed to come to the ball Roman and Patton planned because if nothing else, he was promised there would be food provided. Little did he know by accepting the invitation he was also forced to help with the preparation. It was a good thing he considered his company was helpful enough for them, otherwise, he may have been forced into actually decorating. 

Virgil was currently watching Roman lighting the candles of the chandelier, precariously balanced on a ladder at least four times his height. At the bottom, Patton was doing his best to steady it. 

“Can’t you just like magic the candles lit or whatever it is you do?” Virgil shouted up to him. Roman stumbled, before staring daggers directly at him. 

“Woah,” Patton called out, repositioning the ladder.

“It’s not _magic_ as you put it, Virgil. I’m Creativity, create is _literally _in the word.”

“Then why couldn’t you just have _created _the candles as already lit? Or bypass the whole ‘lighting a permanent fire two days before the event it’s needed for’ thing, did no one ever tell you about fire safety?”

“I don’t know about you,” Roman started, lighting another match. “But the extent of the fire safety training we got from Patton was putting out the fires from his various catastrophes in the kitchen while he was still learning to cook.”

“Now now, kiddo, there weren't _that_ many fires.”

“ Yeah yeah, whatever you say, Pops. Logan tried to genuinely teach us, of course, but we didn’t exactly listen.” Roman’s face clouded with a melancholy, visible even to Virgil from many feet away. “We know that now though, so we'll get him back before you know it. How about you, get taught any safety tips from mother hen Deceit?”

“I’m the personification of anxiety and fight or flight, I didn’t need to be taught to be wary of fire.”

“Still not talking about Deceit then? C’mon dude, you’ve gotta reveal something about your past eventually, we’ve been your friends for years.”

“_Drop it”_

“Yeesh, fine then. Sensitive, much?”

Virgil rolled his eyes, although he couldn't help the slight smirk playing on his lips. He could see how Logan could consider Roman to have been irritating at times, but he lived for these moments. For the domestic moments between the three of them, moments he couldn’t have had if he stayed with the others.

~~~

The use of his name snapped Deceit out of the trance he found himself in. So that’s how the light sides were living. How disgusting. Whether it was his personal vendetta against everyone in that room, or just his distaste of the current colour scheme of the ballroom, the gold with red being too bold and overpowering without a darker accent colour, it shook him completely. 

He thought back to his own family waiting for him back home and stood up, beginning to walk away, his mind already occupied with what to make for their dinner. Right then he heard a crash of a door behind him.

“You think I wouldn't spot you spying on us? I can smell a snake from a mile away.” 

Deceit swore profusely in his mind. It was at that moment he made an oath to himself if he ever happened to bump into Roman again, he’d simply turn and start running in the opposite direction. “Just making sure I have the right place for the party, don’t want to get lost. You did invite all of us after all.”

“I remember, don’t you worry. Just keep your distance from here until then and we won’t have any issues. This may be an olive branch, but it sure as hell isn’t for you.”

“I’m not going to ruin this for you, it seems you already have that under control.”

“You son of a-”

“Neither of us have parents, Roman.” Deceit interrupted. “Now I’ll be taking my leave, allow me to just get one thing through that skull of yours.”

Deceit walked up as close as he could to Roman, hissing into his ear. “Watch your step.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha it's been a while huh? well I'm back with a heck of a chapter! this one was a bit longer than i was expecting and i was trying something a little different this chapter with my writing and I'm super happy with how it turned out!!
> 
> Major major shoutout to my friends for peer-pressuring into _finally_ writing this chapter! It took a couple threats but it got me back into the groove of writing and it's started being fun again. An even bigger shoutout to my friend, beta-reader and only reason I managed to get this chapter out @HissPotato! She'll probably be around the comments somewhere so feel free to say hi! 
> 
> I legitimately can't wait to get this next chapter out so see y'all soon guys, gals and nonbinary pals!


End file.
